1929 SKODA 860 3.9 L8

Vehicle Overview

It was the most expensive and biggest Skoda of its time, and the Czech carmaker built it for the wealthy entrepreneurs and state institutions.

While other carmakers from Western Europe compete at their home markets with other brands, Skoda was alone in the continent’s Central-Eastern side. It tried to make things in their own way and improved their products with some partnerships with other famous brands, such as the Hispano-Suiza. In 1929, Skoda introduced the most expensive limousine from its lineup, the 860.

The 860 was offered as a closed sedan or as a convertible. The carmaker didn’t want to provide the car as a chassis-cab and sold it only with in-house built bodyworks. At the front, it featured a solid steel bumper while the engineers installed the radiator and the engine compartment over the front axle. The inline-eight engine needed an unusually long hood.

Inside, the sedan version featured a wall between the driver and the rear seats, fitted with an intercom system. The carmaker installed a bench in the back and a pair of folding and stow-away individual seats. When those were not in use, the rear passenger’s legroom was second to none.

Under the hood, Skoda bonded two inline-four engines. The result was a 3.9-liter engine that offered 60 hp. It was enough to propel the massive vehicle to a maximum speed of 110 kph (68.4 mph). The only gearbox available was a three-speed manual, plus reverse.